Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

BEIJING, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- China's lunar rover, Yutu-2, or Jade Rabbit-2, left the first ever "footprint" from a human spacecraft on the far side of the moon late at night on Thursday, after it separated from the lander smoothly.

The rover touched the lunar surface at 10:22 p.m. on Thursday, leaving a trace on the loose lunar soil. The process was recorded by the camera on the lander and the images were sent back to the Earth via the relay satellite "Queqiao", the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced.

BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese spacecraft on Thursday made the first-ever landing on the far side of the moon, state media said.

The lunar explorer Chang’e 4 touched down at 10:26 a.m., China Central Television said in a brief announcement at the top of its noon news broadcast.

The far side of the moon faces away from Earth and is relatively unexplored. It is also known as the dark side of the moon.

02 Jan 2019; DW: Chinese President Xi says he will "leave no room" for separatist activities, and that Beijing "reserves the option of taking all necessary means," including the use of force, for the Taiwan "reunification."

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said on Wednesday that the island's "unification" with China was not possible under the "one country, two systems" model. She, however, agreed to start a dialogue with Beijing as an exchange between two sovereign states.

BEIJING, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- China has lodged solemn representations with the United States over a newly approved law that calls for strengthened official contact and military links between the U.S. and Taiwan, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Wednesday.

The Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 was signed into law by U.S. president on Dec. 31.

BEIJING, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- China is striving to gain a lead in the global race toward building an intelligent and data-driven society, as the country has the highest number of smart city pilot projects in the world, the China Daily reported Wednesday.

The world's second-largest economy has more than 500 smart city pilot projects ready or under construction, accounting for about half of the world's total, the newspaper cited a recent report by consulting company Deloitte.

BEIJING, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping on Wednesday stressed that achieving the country's greatness, national rejuvenation and cross-Strait reunification is the trend of history, which can never be blocked by anyone or any force.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at a gathering to commemorate the 40th anniversary of issuing Message to Compatriots in Taiwan.

01 Jan 2019; DW: In his New Year's Day speech, the North Korean dictator warned the US not to demand unilateral action. Otherwise Pyongyang will seek a "new path."

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said on Tuesday he wanted to continue de-nuclearization discussions with the US, but warned that his patience should not be tested.

In his New Year speech, he called on the US to halt its joint military exercises with South Korea and to refrain from deploying military assets in the country.

TOKYO, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- In the early hours of the new year, a man crashed his car into pedestrians in Shibuya Ward in Tokyo, injuring nine people in what he claimed to be a terrorist attack, local media reported Tuesday.

The attacker, 21-year-old Kazuhiro Kusakabe, was arrested by the police on suspicion of attempted murder.

The incident occurred on Takeshita Street in the Harajuku district, a famous and crowded shopping street on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, where vehicles were banned from entering on Monday night.

JINAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- China began to implement its 144-hour visa-free transit policy in five more cities on Tuesday for travelers from 53 countries.

These cities are Qingdao, a major port city in Shandong Province; Xiamen, a coastal city in Fujian Province; Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province; Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province; and Kunming, capital of Yunnan Province.

MANILA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua)-- The death toll of landslides and flood triggered by heavy rains in the Philippines has risen to 68, the government agency said on Monday.

The deaths were mostly due to landslides and drowning in the Bicol region and Eastern Visayas in central Philippines, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) in its latest report.

Fifty-seven of the deaths were reported from the Bicol region while 11 from the Eastern Visayas region.

The agency said there are still 19 people missing in both regions.